Hinduism today
I visit India every year since 2003 to teach philosophy and ethics courses as an adjunct professor in a 300-student theological college. I enjoy meeting the people at this Christian college in north India where Hinduism is the predominant religion.
India has had religious freedom in its constitution as a modern democracy and subscribes to the United Nations guarantee of human rights. But unlike Europe and America, the reality on the ground is widespread intolerance and a lot of violence—especially against women. Countless wives die in kitchen fires each year—and this is not by accident. Either there was a problem with the dowry or with childbearing.
But the biggest curse of India is the caste system, an essential aspect of Hinduism. There are a few major castes along with hundreds of sub-castes. And below all the castes are the nearly subhuman millions of Untouchables.
As I travel from Delhi north by train I have been cautioned to be careful of how I identify myself to strangers in casual conversation. English and Hindi are the two official languages of India 2400 languages, so I can converse with most people who travel on trains. In north India militant Hindus have been known to hurt people, even burning churches and mosques and killing Christians.
The students I teach will go out, in many cases, like the apostles of Jesus and face severe persecution. I admire them greatly as followers of Jesus, for they do not fear death any more than he did.
Hinduism, in my judgment, is a misguided worldview. I saw this in living color in the film “Water,” an Indian production of a few years ago, which is worth seeing. (BTW, did you know that India’s “Bollywood” produces more films each year than Hollywood?) Hinduism claims no basis in real historical events, has a pantheon of gods somewhere between a few and 300 million, depending on how you look at it, and yet has a rich literary heritage of scriptures, most notably the Upanishads, Vedas, and the Gita.
Due to social oppression many low caste people are turning to Buddhism, Islam, or Christianity where there is a greater sense of equality. The Hindu majority in India are not happy about this and are trying to prevent it.
Is there any hope for Hinduism to set aside the caste system? Does Hinduism’s better features outweigh the social drawbacks? What reasoning and research supports your assessment?
Resources to get you started: http://www.friesian.com/caste.htm
http://www.gfa.org/kidnapped-christians-released
Photos from north India: http://jimgus.slide.com/
India has had religious freedom in its constitution as a modern democracy and subscribes to the United Nations guarantee of human rights. But unlike Europe and America, the reality on the ground is widespread intolerance and a lot of violence—especially against women. Countless wives die in kitchen fires each year—and this is not by accident. Either there was a problem with the dowry or with childbearing.
But the biggest curse of India is the caste system, an essential aspect of Hinduism. There are a few major castes along with hundreds of sub-castes. And below all the castes are the nearly subhuman millions of Untouchables.
As I travel from Delhi north by train I have been cautioned to be careful of how I identify myself to strangers in casual conversation. English and Hindi are the two official languages of India 2400 languages, so I can converse with most people who travel on trains. In north India militant Hindus have been known to hurt people, even burning churches and mosques and killing Christians.
The students I teach will go out, in many cases, like the apostles of Jesus and face severe persecution. I admire them greatly as followers of Jesus, for they do not fear death any more than he did.
Hinduism, in my judgment, is a misguided worldview. I saw this in living color in the film “Water,” an Indian production of a few years ago, which is worth seeing. (BTW, did you know that India’s “Bollywood” produces more films each year than Hollywood?) Hinduism claims no basis in real historical events, has a pantheon of gods somewhere between a few and 300 million, depending on how you look at it, and yet has a rich literary heritage of scriptures, most notably the Upanishads, Vedas, and the Gita.
Due to social oppression many low caste people are turning to Buddhism, Islam, or Christianity where there is a greater sense of equality. The Hindu majority in India are not happy about this and are trying to prevent it.
Is there any hope for Hinduism to set aside the caste system? Does Hinduism’s better features outweigh the social drawbacks? What reasoning and research supports your assessment?
Resources to get you started: http://www.friesian.com/caste.htm
http://www.gfa.org/kidnapped-christians-released
Photos from north India: http://jimgus.slide.com/
posted by Jim Gustafson | 8:52 PM
11 Comments:
There are currently over 160 million people in India who belong to the social class known as the Untouchables, “people tainted by their birth into a caste system that deems them impure, less than human”(nationalgeographic.com). 90 percent of poor Indians and 95 percent of India’s illiterate population belong to this group, or “caste”, which lives in constant fear of upper social castes.
Based upon my little knowledge of the Hinduism religion, I agree that it appears to be a misguided world view. I also think it seems implausible that a huge country like India, which is composed of over 80% Hindus, would be able to throw out a social system that could date back to as early as 1500BC.
It took a civil war to initiate the downfall of racism, and to end slavery in America. That was (debatably) a religion-independent war. I believe that even if there were a great enough cause, and army, behind some sort of revolt by the lower castes to spark an Indian civil war, the fact that religion is involved would prevent the war from becoming anything but an endless massacre.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/06/0602_030602_untouchables.html
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/rel_rel_hin-religion-religions-hindu
http://www.religionfacts.com/hinduism/fastfacts.htm
I agree with what Mike said about it seeming implausible that India would be able to throw out an ancient social system like the caste system, at least not without a major upheaval and even then not very quickly at all. On one of the websites I looked at it said that the "Untouchables" in India have actually been guaranteed equal rights by the constitution in 1950 and subsequent amendments, but that persecution has actually increased since then because they are now trying to stand up for their rights more instead of just passively accepting the mistreatment. I'm not sure how much hope there is for Hinduism to set aside the caste system, especially since it has been such an integral way of life for them for so long, but I'd like to believe that it's not impossible. One glimmer of hope comes from the friesan.com website that we were given where it says that "the social mobility of a modern economy and urban life has begun to disrupt traditional professions, and oppressions, even of Untouchables."
Hinduism does have some positive aspects such as a strong sense of devotion and loyalty to duty with regards to family, etc. It also deals with the problem of suffering by saying that everything is just repayment for actions in a previous life, so it's our own fault, but these aspects can also be used to justify the persecution and segregation that is currently prevalent in the society. In my mind, these things are worse than the benefits from the positive aspects of Hinduism.
It seems the popular notion that the caste system is oppresive and racial. Though it may have some positive aspects like family and a sense of commitment, it seems like this is not a religion that would help the whole of mankind. I can appreciate anyones religion. But I can't appreciate anything that would prevent someone from reaching their "God Given" potential. Religion must have some kind of racial charge it seems, some people go to heaven, some people go to hell based on what? Not just their sin, but how much you give put you in a better place with God? Again this world is plenty violent thanks enough to mother nature that the last thing mankind needs is separation and class distinction. Also, whats the difference between the caste system and the politics of capitalism? Sam
Difference between capitalism and caste? Wow! Caste is something you are born into and have NO WAY to get out of in this life. Capitalism allows everyone a shot at bettering their position. There are millions in capiatlist nations that have come from very poor backgrounds who climb the ladder of success. Some truly go from rags to riches, from nobodies to somebodies. And even people who do not make money as their way to success get there by education, talent, etc. In a caste system those opportunities do not exist.
professor i understand where you are comming from but in some cases this governemnt makes it hard for people especially minorities to gain footing in this capitalistic society.If you are born to parents with money .. youare sort of born into a higher caste. i understand that the caste system and capitalisn are far from each other, but it is a way sort of to make a comparision to our way of life here in the US of A.
anyway....
a few years ago i used to live in german town MD with my aunt . When she was younger she spent a couple years in yogaville ( a ashram inthe blue hill mountian set up by swami~sachadananda. i had always attached hinduism to this sort of godlike being. a person that had attainned a godlike presence. I used to wish i that i had been brought up hindu. Now i can say that i feel like a watsed that time wishing for something i really didnt know much about. I guess it is the yoga aspect of the religion that drew me to it and the wonderful stories about their gods, and monkey's jumping over the ocean.
i wonder what hindu's that come to america from their native land hold on to their heritage but shake off the catse system?
By Soonmyung Sim
There have been many religions in the world and some of them survive today. Hinduism is one of the very old religions and the world’s third most popular religion. Hinduism is practiced by more than 80% of Indian’s population. Hinduism teaches that a cycle of birth and reincarnation, in which a person's soul is reborn into a new form after death.
Every religion has their unique aspect. One particular part of Hinduism that is unique is the caste system. Beginning soon after the Aryan’s invasion, people in India began to divide everyone into a caste. They created the four castes and divided themselves into the three highest castes, while assigning the conquered people to the lowest caste. Many people have tried to reform the caste system with the advent and expansion of modern industries and Western education in the post independent (after 1947) cities of India. The significance and demands of the caste system has weakened, although it continues to be alive. Along with reincarnation and Karma, the caste system is central to Hindu beliefs and customs. Individuals accept their position in the caste system because of the dual concept of Karma and Dharma. Hindus believe that your actions in this life determine your fate when you are born again. If you are faithful and dutiful in this life, next time, you'll get a better lot. In the major cities, a person's professional and economic status often determines his or her social standing. However, in rural areas and smaller towns, the stringent nature of the caste system and its requirements continue to define society and the lives of its members.
What would it be like to be born into a particular caste, especially the lowest of the lowest caste, the Dalits? Who would like to reborn as Dalit ? If you are born in lowest caste there is no hope to get out it in this life. The role of religious doctrine and ritual in providing legitimacy for the system of castes must be examined. Hindus need to adopt and reform the main caste system to really understand the main meaning of ultimate reality rather than continue to require the demanding of another human being.It is our collective responsibility to create a new way. India’s government has the duty to preserve its nation, but the global community must not lose sight of the victims until this is done. I believe that whatever your religion, people need to be treated equally rather than treated by social class.
what may be hoped is that we are ready to put both prejudice and idealization behind us.
The caste system and the devaluation of females is outrageous to say the least. I was horrified to read about the caste system and the uprising violence for the individuals who want to excel and chose a different path. I can't even speak of the infanticide and so on. It makes me sick to think that they are killing innocent babies.
According to the websites that I browsed, the caste system has been illegal since 1949. That has not however put a stop to the insanity. I do not see any relief for the poor people of India and the other regions that practice Hinduism. Some people feel the only way to avoid this life of slavery and get out of the caste system is to have faith in a different religion. Maybe so but will that also increase the violence?
I hate to be the one who says it-but i agree on this point with the Dr., in full. Caste is a arayan derived form of racism and mysogeny.
Valid religions meet the needs of there followers--they do not-- across the board dictate a life of poverty, invasion and abuse. The caste system interfered with the economic, political and defensive capabilities of this population who were wooed into escapism and loyalty to th unjust---give me a break!!!
And who the hell would want multiple reincarnations to India? YUK!
Say I'm an Aryan warlord and i don't want an uprising or to execute a genocide-what to do? Ahhh, convince people that it is the will of 330 million Deities to keep them down in duty bound, racist, social stratification.
As interesting as the history is -Hinduism is 100 pounds of BS in a 10 pound bag-the more you kick it the more it stinks!
Three words: Enforcable human rights! This worldview is misguided to say the least--it is racist and anti-feminist. Oh, BTW I am a bit chagrined that I thought Shiva looked pretty (page 82) only to find out she is a he!But i suppose my bruised ego will endure. Backwards, third world racism--just wrong.
BTW I HATE oppression in ALL forms--even when it is seductivly wrapped in the GUISE of a great religion. Dr. i agree with your view but I feel you have understated the sham of this terrible hoax perpetuated upon the long suffering people of India.
Peace out.
BTW Ms. Ross, I am with you on this one! The atrocities in India in the name of Caste are obscence.
This countries men could never organize an effective military response to invaders or a sound goverment-yet-thay always had the energy to opress the weak and batter women.i have a few words that I will refrain from using-but do please, note my disapproval.
I can't help but wonder if it is a source of shame that Mother Teresa lived in Calcutta to aid the very souls that Hinduism cast off as worthless. what kind of religion makes worthless a group of it's own (or others for the record)? A religion that lacks credibility I would suggest. Peace Ralph,
First let me say that this is the THIRD time I am trying to post a comment - don't know what is going on with my computer (or with me!). Anyway, I feel that there is no real hope for Hinduism in India to set aside the caste syem. The system has been in place for over 3000 years, and until India adopts a true separation of church and state, I do not see things changing much. It is too easy for those in the high castes to rationalize the lot in life of the low caste "untouchables" by reasoning that those Dalits have been born into those lives because of what they must have done in their previous life (it's easy to rely on karma when you start at the top!). The plight of the Dalits seems similar to that of African Americans born into slavery in this country. A site I visited reports that modern India has instituted a practice they call "positive discrimination" where certain gov't jobs and university slots are reserved for members of the "backward classes" (the lower castes) (Professor, have you heard of this?) This sounds a lot like what we call "reverse discrimination" in this country. The result has been that the high caste communities have in turn been feeling discriminated against. Perhaps this shows an effort toward equality and so India may some day change their society, although I think it would take some great economic incentive or a worlwide human rights intitiative to have an effect. Our own Civil War was influenced by economic and trade policies as new states were being established, in addition to the efforts of the abolitionists. I feel that Hinduism's better features cannot outweight its social drawbacks. Any spiritual bliss or enlightment is reserved for those in the higher castes, it is not for everyone.
www.adaniel.tripod.com/modernindia
Nice response Laura!
Good job finding a historical example from our culture-it is oft hard to paralell the US and other nations.
(it's easy to rely on karma when you start at the top!). GOOD POINT!
ralph,
Post a Comment
<< Home